A genuine
tantric Buddhist ritual instrument known as a kangling. Made
from a human femur, this one has copper
covering the epicondyle end and is fit with a
brass mouth piece. The Kangling was part of the ritual kit of a
Lama in a Himalayan village.

Some people mistakenly
believe that Tibetan Buddhism is a macabre religion with
ghoulish deities and a strange obsession with bones, blood and
gore. This is a complete misunderstanding of the symbolism
involved in the tantric rituals. The fact is that there is an
emphasis on each of our own impending deaths, but this is not a
morbid fixation, but rather an impetus to make the most of life
while we have the opportunity. The belief is that since death is
inevitable, one should be mindful of the important things in
life - cultivating kindness and compassion for all sentient
beings, and practicing virtue and meditation - techniques to
discipline the mind and elevate consciousness.

Many people have an aversion
to bones and blood and such because, when it comes down to it,
this makes them think of their own mortality, and they don't
want to think about that for a second. So among worldly people
there is a certain degree of repulsion for such things. On the
other hand, the tantric Buddhist approach is to view them,
contemplate them, even handle them and use them - its all about
using the symbols of death as a means for understanding what
life is really about. Utilizing death to come to terms with life
is "skillful means" - a very important concept in Buddhism as
many of you are no doubt very aware.